When the going gets tough, the tough get going. That may very well be the mantra at Andros Boatworks of Sarasota Florida. Run by father Don, and sons Andy and Danny Eggebrecht, Andros had invested a lot of money into the design of the Offshore 32. But when the economy took a nosedive, they had a decision to make. Shelve the project and stop the bleeding, or see it through and develop their new flagship. Ultimately they threw caution to the wind and saw the project through, and a lot of fishermen are glad they did. We got to test this new boat, and came away with some newfound respect for a small company making big strides.

Engine Options

Andros Boatworks Offshore 32 (2011-) Captain's Report

By Capt. Steve

With twin Evinrude E-TEC 300-hp outboards the Andros 32 had a WOT speed of 53.5 mph.

Andros Boatworks is a family-owned business that built a niche for itself in the shallow, panga-style arena. Only in this case, unlike the Pacific versions, Andros' boats also had qualities that allowed for operations in deeper water, and in larger waves. The fact that the Eggrebrechts (Andy, Don, and Danny, the company's founders) decided to plant both feet in the offshore arena should come as a surprise to no one. It was a natural step forward for a company with such a good reputation.

First Impressions

When I step aboard a boat, I immediately look at the big picture and see the components as if they were coming out of the mold. In this case, I saw a lot of radius curves to all the components. That always impresses me, as I now know that this is a company that doesn't cut corners… literally. These curves add more to the molding process, and to not acknowledge that is a shame, particularly when the builder is relatively small, and still managing to compete.

While I found there to be a little too much tower hardware in my line of sight for my taste, I did like the amount of handholds both around and above the console. The electronics bay is accessed via a plastic cover that retracts garage door style.

Under the helm seat is a self draining cooler. Notice how even here there are channels to direct the water to the drains.

Engines were controlled by the I-Con digital controller and the I-Command gauges allowed for selecting through the readouts. Notice the trim tabs have position indicators on the sides and the switches are protected from the knee zone.

Andros Boatworks is also a semi-custom builder. Yes, they have the hull popped from a mold, but what happens after is up to the buyer. What do you want your console to look like? How about the tower? You want seats in the bow or a casting deck? Do you like a white boat or shall we add some color to suit your tastes? These are all questions that the Eggebrechts ask each potential customer, and then, after they are all answered, the boat starts it's gestation period.

Different but Same

I had the pleasure of testing two different versions of the Offshore 32 and though the differences were minor, I could see that there were special requests that were met all through the boat. Both had towers, but while one was rather difficult to ascend, the other was relatively easy. As it turns out, the owner of the first boat requested it this way as it was easier for him, and that's what matters. Additionally, one boat had the console door in front, the other had its entry to the starboard side. Is one better than the other? No, but it's easy to see how there could be a preference. Herein lies the secret to the success behind Andros Boatworks.

This console is accessed from the front. Notice the amount of rod holders on the sides and the grab rail on the gunwales.

What the two boats did have in common was 6' 2" (1.9 m) headroom in those consoles, a solid hull that offered no hollow thud when I smacked it with my fist, but more of a slap much like the sound when hitting a cinder block. And both boats were safety oriented with grab handles everywhere you moved, and all decks were treated with molded non-skid.

The upper station is well appointed and offers a commanding view. There was no room for electronics on this build, though.

I was also pleased with how the deck seemed to handle water, at least from the washdown hose. The deck allowed the water to flow from whatever source, towards the stern and out the drains, with no gutters. All compartments had LED lighting, and hatches all had struts to hold them open. While looking at the 32 on the trailer, I sighted down the sides and bottom and found no blemishes, or defects that would indicate a bad mold.

Every hatch is backgelled for a finished off look. Noticed the gutters to channel water to the drain that is plumbed overboard, not into the bilge.

Center consoles all look the same to the untrained eye, but in fact, the level of customization that can, and is, offered at Andros is mind numbing. But it stops short of compromising on things like switching off stainless steel fitting for brass or bronze, and there are no shortcuts in the build to keep the price down. But build a custom hatch or FRP part… no problem.

On this boat, the tower is accessed from the sides. The Key West style hard top makes it easy. Once up, you're standing on top of the console which negates the ability to mount a compass there, but there are other choices.

The tackle storage on the back of the leaning post also includes these convenient line holders. Nice touch when you want to fish in different categories in the same day.

The lower tackle station accommodates tackle storage drawers, both the Plano type and the built in.

With nice wide side decks you have the whole boat for fishing from. Notice the gunwale rails that start where the console rails end. Color matching the caprails was a nice touch.

Performance

Our test boat was powered by a pair of Evinrude E-TEC 300's with Icon electronic controls and I-Command readouts. Because of an aft hull pad, ala the company's panga roots, we saw quick times to plane that averaged out to only 3.6 seconds. Acceleration was brisk and I had the Offshore 32 accelerating through 30 mph in just 8.5 seconds. Top speed of 46.5 knots (53.5 mph) was reached at 5850 rpm. At that speed we were burning a combined 53 gallons per hour while getting 0.88 nautical miles per gallon for range of 237 nautical miles. Best cruise came in at 3500 rpm while we were running at 26.2 knots and getting a fuel burn of 20.7 gallons per hour. Now we're getting 1.26 nautical miles per gallon for a range of 341 nautical miles. Click on the "Test Results" tab at the top of this report for all of the details.

Handling

While I wasn't able to find any waves of significance, thanks to our calm Florida day, I did manage to find a sizable wake here and there, and while making like a Waverunner, I ran back and forth to get a feel for how the Andros 32 would handle. As it turned out, it was pretty impressive. The few times I did manage to launch off a wave, the re-entry was gentle and predictable as one might expect with a 24-degree deadrise. More to the point was the slower passes that showed a following wave having no tendency to push the stern around. In beam waves I couldn't manage to cause the console to get wet.

All in all, a dry, solid riding offshore setup. This has a lot to do with the boat's 24-degree deadrise and hard chines knocking the spray down. At idle, I noticed that the twin E-TEC 300's left a nice clean wash for worry-free trolling. Drift fishermen will love the way that even light winds cause the 32 to present her sides to the waves allowing the entire length to be utilized in the drift.

Don't bother looking for a local dealership to view an Andros 32. Andros Boatworks is a factory-direct builder. That's one of the ways that they can keep the price down, maintain their level of customer service, and foster the customer loyalty that keeps Andros in business. "I know every one of our customers," Andy Eggebrecht told me. "I know their cell phone numbers, and I know their kids' names."

Andros Boatworks Offshore 32 (2011-) Test Result Highlights

Best cruise for the Andros Boatworks Offshore 32 (2011-) is 30.1 mph (48.4 kph), and the boat gets 1.45 miles per gallon (mpg) or 0.62 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 393 miles (632.47 kilometers).

Andros Boatworks Offshore 32 (2011-) Warranty

Andros Boatworks Offshore 32 (2011-) Warranty Information

Warranties change from time to time. While BoatTEST.com has tried to ensure the most up-to-date warranty offered by each builder, it does not guarantee the accuracies of the information presented below. Please check with the boat builder or your local dealer before you buy any boat.